Of fresno



June 4, 1929. T. w. w. FoRREs-r ET AL 1,715,700

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR REMOVING PITS FROM PRUNES Filed may si, 192'? ummm BY i

' :a/A TToRNEYs.

Patented June 4, 1929.

kUNITED STATESPHATENT oFFicE.;

THOMAS W. W; FORREST, OF FRESNO, AND

n y THOMAS o. L. siriani, or oAKLANn'oALI- FoRNIA,'Ass1GNoRs To sen-MMD Raisin Gnownns or eniirronmafor imnsno,

CALIFORNIA, A CALIFORNIA COOPERATIVE .A SSCJCIA'DVIGN. i

METHOD or AND arriumrusY Fon REMOVING rrrs FROM nannies@ I Application-filed May 31,

The invention relates to atmethod of and i apparatus for removing pitsfromvdried or fresh prunes, `and covers the subject-matter of our abandoned application filed under Ser. No. 618,472 on Feb. 12, 1923. o y

An object of the inventionv is tok provide a method of removing 4pits from dried or Yfresh prunes, which will result in the minimum possible mutilation of the. prune.

Another objectof the invention is to provide a method. ofreinoving the pit fromy a dried or fresh prune by making onlymone hole in the prune, thru which the Vpit is ejected. l 1 *A further object of the `invention is` to provide an apparatus for rapidly and effevctively removingthe pits from dried or fresh prunes, without unduly puncturing the skin of the prunes or unnecessarily mutilating the prunes. 1 'y kA further object of the invention is to provide a machine adapted to successively perform the operation vofmaking a out in the skin of the prune and ejectingwthe pit thru said out, Vwithoutr otherwise or perforating the skinof the prune. l l l The invention possesses other -advantageous features, some offwhich with the forevgoing, will beset forth at length inthe following description, .where wevshall outline in full the process of our invention and one form of apparatus forV carrying it` into effect. In'the accompanying drawings we have shown one form of apparatus embodying our invention, but itis to beunderstood that wedo not limit ourselves Y'to such form, since the invention as set forthin the claims, may be embodied in a. plurality of'forms.

Referring to said drawings:

Fig. `1 is a side elevation of a machine embodying our invention. f

Fig. 2 is a plan View ofthe table, apportion thereof-beingbroken away to` disclose the construction;l l f Y Fig. 3 is 1a vertical section ,taken` thru the table and the pit ejecting1neans. v-

Fig. 4 is an underneath View of the presser foot andejecting plunger.` 1 y i In accordance with theprocessofour 5in@ Vvention, we makea cutin the skin Vof the prune Vadjacent one end of the ,pit, so .that

the pit is pointedsubstantially towardsA the f the cut, with' the cut -rupturing j constructed to be attached to a bench or Vtable 3 -positioningjthe prunes abo cut. The pitof aV prune is somewhat elongated and hasV rather sharp ends and lthecut is made in the skinadjacent one end vof the pit. The prune is thensupported'adjacent portion overlying an aperture. Y By exerting'pressureV against the opposite side of the prune the. pit is expelled thru the cut in the skin and thru the aperture, and the pressure is preferably exerted against the yopposite vside ofthe prunein suolil manner that the ,skin isnot brokenor punctured. Therefore onlyone hole is madev in the skin of the prune, thru which the pit is ejected, and the .pruneis not deleteriously deformed or vmutilated, so that its market valueis in no lmanner interfered with.` In fact, the process accomplishes such a cleany expulsion of the `pit that a Ycasual observance of the prune will not .indicate .that'it has beenpittedw I. l f

The machine ofaour vinvention comprises a suitable frame Lor pedestal 2.11pon which the operativeelements of themachine are arranged. In the construction shown. in

the accompanying drawings, the frame .Y is

but it is to be understood that the frame may be extendeddownward to, independently support the machine on the floor.

Secured to or mou'ntedon the frame 2 is a table 4on .which the prunes are pitted.. The table isprovided with afvariable aperture above which the pruneis placedand. this aperture is preferably formed lby a plurality of radially disposed, radially .movable slides 5, which cont ter, ofl the table to form thevariable aper-l ture. The slides are pressed toward the lcenter vof the table bysprings :G andare disposed in groovesior slotsin the table. 1 vThe table is usually provided witha cover plate 7 having a centraly aperture 81 which is ygreater in diameter than the maximum va.n riablejaperture required. '1

Arranged,above the tablev and positioned f concentrically with respect to the vaperture therein a basket'or other suitable means for n `ve t-he aperture. This basket 9 is preferably..mounted'on the table or onthe frame iof the machine `,and

ac tfwith each other at the cencomprises airing 12v havingdependent resilient .fingers 13. The 4prune 114 is *positioned to press the prune lirmly against 1 upper face,

position' by the 'spring-21, "but '1 after ythe `prune against the table,

in the basket in such position that the longitudinal axis oi the pit l5 is alined with the aperture in the table.

Y Disposed above the basket and slidably mounted for vertical movement in the traine is a hollow presser Jfoot 1G, preferably cylin drical in shape, which isprovided witha serrated or irregular lower tace 17.v :litter the pruneV has been placed in position on the tabl-e, the presser rtoot is moved'downward the table and to hold it in such positiondurinp,"` the operation of the pit expelling means.v By providing the serrati'enon the lower edge of the presser foot thepit isheld-n position in axial alinement- -with'the aperturein the table. This condition is further'enhanced by the provision of the cavity within the presser t'oot, `and the coneavityotthe lower face of the presser toot. y

`Disposed below the table in alinemeut with the aperture therein a cutting instrument or punch 18 havinglblades-19on'its whichfis adapted tobe elevated toV puncture or make `afsmfill cut in1 that! portion otlt'heislrinf of the. prune i'vhich directly overl'ies theaperture inthe Stable. "The punch 18 is normally'l held i .in Vits I depressed 'the toot has descended to firmly press thelpunch 'i8 is moved rapidly"upward to lperfcnate the skin on the underside of the prune. 'fi Means presser are provided v'for releasing thel'punch 18u11 -mediately 'alter it haspertorated the skin et the prune7 to permit the-1 spring 1 2l to vre- Imove the punch from the aperture `in "the table, so that thepit-imaybeV ejectedtherethru.

:Slidable"within' the lhollow presser `foot 16 is afplunger'QQE which"normallyfisfso positionedy that 'its `lower end lies above -the lower 'end of the" presser toot. I fitter the presser I'toot has 'lirmly positioned the prune and the punchhasfperforated 'the underside or the prune, 1the plunger moves ldownward againstthev prune -and presses' the pit from the prune vthru thefaperture `in "tlieitable The lower edge ot thepl'ungeiispreferably serrated or eruciforni iin? vslrape so thatlfit doestnot have a tendency to clausethe pit to be tilted from its'positi'onf of.alinement-with the aperturein the tablegbutjforces Ethe'pit directly vthru the aperture. This plunger doesnot brealr the skin ofithe prunefonfthat side opposite the aperture but merely exerts a irm pressure against-the'prune to'feject the pit therefrom. lt sometimes vhappens 'that seme shreds ofslrin or meat ofthe prune are pressed into the laperturewith the pit and these shreds are subsequently remeved by passing atlat knife-23 underthe prunewh ile itremains onthe table, thus cutting Aoff the shreds. As thefpit is being `ejeeted 'from the prune ithe slides 5 move-backward'to prep- Y -pitzis therefore for erly shape the variable aperture in the table to the cross sectional area of the pit. The 'ed thrufan aperture, the walls o'fwhichcontact tightly with the pit, holding` back any meat which tends to tol- `low vthe pit-and scrapingthis meat troni the pit so that the pit as it is ejected `from the table is comparatively clean. `'llhe slides are preferably made of steel but they may be made'oiiany:other 'suitable imiterial, such as hard rubber. The ends of the slides which iorm the sidewalls of the aperture are preterably beve-led Vto prevent a sharp edge over Awhich -thepitpasses as-it moves thru the aperture.

Means are provided tery successively voperatingthe various operative elements of the machine-and this 'means preferably cem- `prises aA unitary element -Suclr as a4 manually Operated `lever which f is 1 so connected to the various opera-ted v:mechanisms that movement ofA the lever causes' successive 4operations ot the elements. The various operating mechanisms are meunted 'on-'the trame 2 'and in the present instance are operated by "a toot-'lever 24 although itis tobe uncerstood that'the machine may be powerdrixien when desired. The vplunger 22 "is operated f by the lever L25 pivotally supported:atene endron the frame. AConnected "to the toot lever 24C is a rod @t5-which at its upper end is-piwotally` connected to thelever 25 so that downward movement of the r'foot lev'ervQ-l causes downward movement of Lthe plunger "22. The rod 26 and its (zo-operatingelement are normally held Vin elevated position by the' compression spring 27, the springbeing of sufiicientlstrength to returnfthepartstte elevated position afterthe depression 'of the foot lever. Thepresser o'etlis operated by the lever 28 pivotally connected tot'he tr-ame andresilientlyconnected to the'rorl jQby-means oi:l thefcress pin 29'fand the yspring 31. v'When lthe 4stoot" lever is dep ressed the plunger 22' and the presser footnl move downwardly simultaneously until the down- -ward `movement'o't thef'presser loot'is ar@ lll) restedlbyengagement with the prune. `Furtherl downward movement of the footpedal lcauses compression-otthespring "3L with# out causing Vanymaterial further rlownw: *d movement ot the presserito'otl and during this further downward finovem'ent 'of the foot lever theplun'ger'QQ is moved-downward to eject the pit "from vthe prune.

"-Pivotally mounted 'below'the table is a lever 32 which is connectedto the puneli`l8,

the-lever'SQfbeing so'arranged that downward movement of its free endcauses` upward Vmovement of, 'the punch. "Thetxvo 'lever arms of the lever 32 are of materially different lengths so that ythe punch -is moved upward rapidly. T-he lever-32 is operated byt-he" rod 38 pivoted tothe leverQS-so that vas the lever Q8 Vis, -move'd'- Ydownwind the Vsu ' in compressing the soft a while supporting 1t against displacement or Vthe, prune.

punch is moved upward. Means ar'epprovided for tripping the rod 33 from engagement with the lever 32 to permit' thespring 21 to return the punch 18 to its. lower position. Formed on the upper end of the rod 33 is an offset 34 which is positioned below a projection y35 on the lever 25. As the levers 25 and 28 move downward simultanemachine the relation of the projection 35 and the offset 34 remain constant. When the presser foot reaches its lower position the furtherv downward movement of the lever 25 brings the projection 35y into contact with the offset 34 thus rocking the rod 33 on its pivot, out of `engagement with the ends of the lever 32, thus permitting the punch 18 to drop. On the return movementof the levers 25 and 28 upwardthe rod 33 is moved into position over the end of the lever 32 by the spring 36.

lows. a

The prune is placed in the'basket 9 with the longitudinal axis of the pit perpendicular and disposed above the aperture in the table. The foot lever 24 is then depressedA causing first the downward movement of the presser foot 16 to compress the prune against the table; second, the upward movement of the. punch 18 to perforate the skin of the prunev lying directly above the aperture; third, the release of the punch, and fourth, the downward movement of the plunger against the top of the prune to force the pit from the prune thru the aperture in the table. In this downward movement of the plunger, the lowerend of the plunger' projects slightly downward below the lower end of the presser foot, but owing to the compression of spring 31 urging the presser foot still further downward it follows the downward movement of the plunger, thus aiding rupture, thus the combinedaction of punch and presser foot results in pushing against the prune and completelypejecting the pit from the prune but without rupturing or perforating kthe skin of the prune at that point where the presser foot contacts with The pit vis therefore removed from the prune and the skin of the prune is opened only to the extent that is necessary to permit the passage of the pit therethru.

We claim:

1. The method of removing the pit from a dried prune which comprises making a ysmall cut thru the skin of the prune at one end and exerting pressure against the opposite end of the prune without rupturing the fruit at said opposite end `whereby to expel the pit thru the cut.

2. The method of removing the pit from a dried prune which comprises supporting The operation of the machine is as fol-y body of the prune t 47.

the pruneon one end on an apertured backing with vthelongitudinal' axis lof the pit alined with the apertureand vexerting pressure against the opposite` end of theprune without rupturing the Vfruitat said opposite end whereby to force thepit thru the first mentioned end and the aperture of the-back- V- Y' 3.v The method of removing the pit from a exerting pressure 4. An apparatus for removingV pits from',

prunes comprising ank apcrtured support for a prune, means operating thru the aperture for cutting the skin of theprune at its supported end and means for exerting pressure against the opposite end of the prune without rupture. of the fruit for forcingthe pit thru the cut and aperture.

5. An apparatus for removing pits from prunes, comprising a support Vhaving a plurality of radial slides forming at their juncture, prune on the support above the aperture, means vfor cutting the skin of the prune Lwhere it overlies the aperture and means for exerting a downward pressure'against the an aperture meanspfor'f` positioning a l upper surface of the prune'to force the pit a thru the aperture. Y

6. An apparatus for removing pits Afrom prunes, comprising a support, a plurality of radially movable, resiliently pressed slides, mounted on the support and forming a variable aperture at their juncture, means for positioning a prune on the support above the aperture and means for exerting a downward pressure on. the upper surface of the prune to force the pit thru the aperture. n apparatus for vremoving pits from prunes comprisinga support, a plurality of radially movable resiliently pressed Vslides i mounted on the `support and forming a variable aperture atythe'ir juncture, means for positioning a prune on the support above the aperture,means for cutting the skin'of theprune where it overlies theaperture and adapted to cooperate with said presser foot to press against the outer surface yof-the Aprune rto expel the pit from the prune.

ymeans for exerting a downward pressure n the prune to -19.-An :apparatus "for yremoving .the pit from; a prune Veomprsing 1 support havng ,an ,aperturethere-n -011 fWheh laf prune iis =uduptecl+to -be 1 supported, awhollow presser AUOUudaptQd y'co l,pressthe pruneragains; the support, nu cutter :arranged to cut vthe eliln ofv the v prune directly overlying ille aperture, a. plunger arrangetl Within the presser foot prune, `opemmg Saul Vpresser foot, cutter plunger.

adapted t0e00perate -Wth sal-id presserufeot and compress fthednrune by yp Lessing l against :its outer surface to expel the pit` from 4the Aand .unitary means for successively und THOMAS W. W.-14QRREST. THQMAS o. L. smi-TH. 

